Yin and Yang
by Etaleah
Summary: Their first year at the Academia is one that's full of of ups and downs, smiles and shouts, tears and laughter. The hilarious and heartbreaking story of how the Kaiser and the Blizzard Prince went from being total strangers to the best of friends. Pre-GX, eventual Ryo/Fubuki.
1. New School, New Roommate, New Year

**Sorry for the long Author's Note, but I need to make a few things clear. First off, this is pre-GX obviously. This story works with plots based off the anime and the manga, but most of it is my personal headcanon with just a few alterations. Here's the important stuff in a nutshell:**

**- Ryo and Fubuki are roommates. I just needed them to be for this to work. Trust me, this would be a really boring fic if they weren't.**

**- There will be demonstrations of Japanese culture vs. other cultures. I promise I did my research.**

**- I have a favor to ask my readers. I've tried to follow the canon for the most part, but obviously a good bit of this is a product of my imagination, and I've added twists and turns. If, for example, Ryo and Fubuki fall off a cliff and the chapter ends right there (which doesn't actually happen), please don't say to yourself, "Well, obviously they live since otherwise there wouldn't be a GX." Anything could happen. Believe me.**

**- Most importantly, Fujiwara Yusuke is not in this. Here are some reasons why:**

**1. Besides not liking him, I really didn't understand his character that well or any of his motivations. If I tried to write him, I would probably get it all wrong and bash him. I figured his fans would prefer that I leave him out entirely rather than including him and screwing up his character. At least, that's how I would feel if I were a fan.**

**2. I don't think this alters the canon all that much. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm 95% sure that the Darkness thing happened during Ryo and Fubuki's second year, because that was the only one Fubuki had to repeat. This fic takes place their first year. And honestly, we didn't even know of Fujiwara's existence until the very last season of the show and the canon still made sense to us before then, so he's not a particularly hard character for me to drop.**

**3. ****I really want this to center around Ryo and Fubuki. Not just in romantic terms, but in friendship too. Fujiwara would more than likely end up being a third wheel. **

**Other than that, please enjoy and PLEASE REVIEW! I've been working on this for almost two years and I could really use the feedback!**

_"Love isn't something you find. Love is something that finds you."_

_ - _Loretta Young

"Are you ready for your first year at Duel Academia, Ryo?" Samejima asked.

Ryo smiled and nodded. "Yes sir. I've been waiting all summer for this."

"It's good to see you again. It's been too long since we last met at the Cyber dojo."

"Yes, I agree. And I've become a much stronger duelist since then."

"I have no doubt of that. It's your first year and you're already an Obelisk Blue. In fact, you're one of the elite."

"Elite?" Ryo asked, puzzled.

"Yes, didn't you know? There are two elite members, also called honor students. They represent the best of the best and have the top scores on all the exams, both written and field. You are one of the two. You'll meet the other member next week, when school starts. He'll be your roommate for the year, possibly for the next three years depending on how things work out."

Ryo smiled again, eyes sparkling. "I'm honored that you think so highly of me, sir."

"You deserve it for all your hard work. My hope is that by placing you at the top of the school, you'll set an example for the other students in teaching them the respect involved in dueling."

"I'll do my best." Ryo bowed and turned to leave when Chronos-sensei barged in. Ryo remembered him from the entrance exams and how surprised he'd been when he'd angrily turned away a potential student as punishment for mistaking him for a woman. Because of this, he'd tried to avoid Chronos-sensei during the time he'd spent at the Academia. Technically he wasn't even supposed to be there until next week when classes began, but Samejima had needed an extra hand to help get the campus ready and so he'd made an exception for Ryo, which Chronos-sensei most certainly did not approve of. If there was one thing this teacher hated, it was making exceptions.

"Are you quite finished? I have a very important matter I need to discuss with you," he barked at Samejima, purposefully ignoring Ryo.

"Yes, Ryo and I were just discussing his new roommate."

"And who might that be?" Chronos asked in a bored tone.

"The other elite duelist. What was his name again? Tenjoin something?"

"You don't mean Tenjoin Fubuki, do you?!" Chronos screeched. Ryo nearly winced at how shrill his voice sounded.

"Ah! Tenjoin Fubuki, that was it. Yes, I thought that since they're both such fine duelists, maybe they could help encourage each other and give each other a bit of competition."

Chronos stared at Samejima, mouth agape. "You're pairing up Tenjoin Fubuki with HIM?!" he jerked a thumb toward Ryo, who was beginning to feel uneasy.

"Do you think that will be a problem, sir?" Ryo asked somewhat nervously. He'd heard the horror stories about roommates who stayed up until all hours of the night, trashed the dorm rooms, blasted music, and snuck in girls after curfew. He'd even heard of a case where a boy took pictures of his roommate undressing and posted it on the internet, where it still existed to this day. But surely if Tenjoin Fubuki were an elite member, he couldn't be that bad, right?

"Have you lost your mind, sir? They'll never get along! They'll hate each other!"

"That's enough, Chronos!" Samejima yelled sharply. "Ryo, don't listen to him. I have no doubt that the two of you will be just fine. I met Tenjoin at the exams and he's a very nice boy."

"A little too nice, if you ask me," Chronos muttered.

"What was that?"

"Nothing, sir."

"Good. If you'll excuse us, Ryo."

"Yes sir." Ryo bowed again and left. He wandered back to his dorm room and stood on the balcony, thinking. The soft breeze caressed his cheek and ruffled his hair as he looked out at the newly trimmed lawn encompassing the Obelisk dorm. He'd been extremely thankful for the opportunity to come to Duel Academia early, as it gave him the chance to familiarize himself with the campus before the other students arrived. He'd seen almost all of the school over the few days that he'd been there with the exception of the Osiris dorm, which he had no desire to see. But the rest of the school was incredible.

Ryo didn't get excited over much, but the thought of going to a school that revolved around the game he loved was enough to make his heart beat a little faster. The whole time he'd scanned the course catalog and campus map, he'd been unable to keep a grin off his face. Deck Construction, Card Design, Dueling Strategies, Monster Attributes, Gym, and his personal favorite, Intro to Machine Monsters. The only class that puzzled him was the last one listed on his schedule, Duel Alchemy taught by Daitokuji-sensei. He'd never heard of that before.

But what really puzzled him was what Chronos-sensei had said about his new roommate, Tenjoin Fubuki. What had he meant by "too friendly"? And why did he think that they would hate each other? Ryo may not have been the most social person in the world, but he'd been able to get along with most people so far. And Samejima seemed to think they'd be alright; he'd even said Tenjoin was a nice boy.

Curiosity eventually took over and Ryo reached for his handheld computer. He quickly connected to Duel Academia's wi-fi and did an internet search for Tenjoin Fubuki. All he got was a report of his entrance exam. He'd scored very well on both tests, just like Samejima had said. Ryo noted with interest that he'd also dueled using a dragon deck. His rarest card was…Red Eyes Black Dragon.

Ryo's eyes widened. No wonder Tenjoin was a member of the elite. To have a card that rare, commonly used by such duelists as Katsuya Jonouchi and Mutou Yuugi, he had to be very good and very dedicated to dueling. Ryo put the computer away and went back inside, feeling relieved. No doubt Tenjoin was a serious, hard-working student who would be devoted to his studies just like Ryo. Maybe he wouldn't be as serious as Ryo since hardly anyone was, but he surely wouldn't be as wild and crazy as Chronos made him sound. Why had he ever listened to Chronos over Samejima anyway?

No, when Ryo pictured Tenjoin Fubuki in his mind, he pictured a neat and organized looking boy with short, sensible hair, glasses and a very polite air about him. They would study together, maybe duel occasionally, but there would be respect. Ryo would definitely not have to worry about Tenjoin Fubuki causing him any problems.

**You just keep on telling yourself that, Ryo. ;) **

**Did I do okay with Chronos? He pops up a lot in this fic and I'd never written him before (admittedly I'm more familiar with the wackier dub version). I know that he tends to think Obelisk Blues are like gods from above, but…Fubuki is a lot like Juudai, and Chronos hates Juudai. Plus he and Ryo aren't very well-established yet since they're just starting, so they haven't yet attained their "King and Kaiser" status.**


	2. First Impressions

**So...no reviews. That was very disappointing. Maybe people just didn't see it? Please review; when people don't I'm always left wondering if nobody liked it. And unfortunately I've written this thing way out of order and am in college with a job, so updates will slow down soon. :P**

"_Strangers are just friends waiting to happen._"

- Author Unknown

Ryo straightened the bedcovers one last time, stood back and admired his efforts. The entire room was spotless from floor to ceiling. He'd wanted to start off the year in the best way possible, which was neat and organized with everything in place. His clothes were all washed and folded neatly in the chest of drawers, and he'd made sure to keep them all on one side of the dresser to leave room for Tenjoin's. The soft carpet floor was vacuumed, cobwebs had been removed, the walls and even the ceiling had been dusted and wiped, and the doors and windows were completely void of any and all fingerprints.

The beds were made up and during the past week, Ryo had grown accustomed to sleeping in one of them. Because of this, he'd placed one of his bags on top of it, hoping Tenjoin would take the hint that he'd claimed it as his own and take the other bed. He'd also cleaned up the bathroom and kept his toiletries stowed away out of sight. Ryo was not a selfish person, but he had to admit that the thought of sharing personal hygiene products grossed him out. But surely Tenjoin would have his own.

Now all that was left to do was wait. Ryo had watched the plane land from his balcony window a while ago, so his roommate and other classmates were likely to show up any minute. He was eager to duel them; no one back home had ever been a match for him and he was more than ready for some competition.

Suddenly he jumped at the sound of someone twisting the doorknob from the outside.

"It's locked," a voice said. "Now where did I put that room key?"

"Tenjoin?" Ryo called out, his heart beating the slightest bit faster. Even he, with his limited social knowledge, knew that first impressions were important, and it looked like he was about to meet his curious new roommate for the first time.

"Yeah, that's me. Are you my new roomie?"

Ryo blinked. That voice sure didn't sound the way he'd imagined it. It sounded strangely cheerful. "Yes. Hold on a second, I'm coming." He took a deep breath and opened the door. "Hello. I'm Marufuji-"

"RYO!" Ryo let out a surprised "Oh!" as he was nearly tackled to the ground by a six-foot-tall boy in a bright Hawaiian shirt and long, thick brown hair that looked like a girl's.

"Hi, Ryo!" the boy cried happily, hugging Ryo tightly.

This was not how Ryo had envisioned this meeting.

"Um…hi," Ryo finally said uneasily.

"First thing you should know about me: I'm a hugger!"

"I can see that. You can let go now." Fubuki let go and stood back, bouncing up and down on his feet while Ryo brushed himself off.

"It's so awesome to finally meet you! I'm Fubuki! You know, everyone else wanted to wander around campus to see the school and whatnot, but I wanted to come and meet you because Samejima's told me so much about you; he says you and I are the best duelists in the school and we can help each other and he knew you way back when and that you always respect people and I figured you must be a really cool guy, so I wanted to come see you as soon as I could, and Samejima said you've been here a week already and so you already know the whole campus and you can show me around. That'll be really cool, huh? Am I talking too much? Some people say I do, but I just love talking to people! Don't you, Ryo?"

Ryo wondered in the back of his mind if this boy had a mental condition.

"Uh…anyway, it's nice to meet you too, Tenjoin."

"Tenjoin is my dad's name. Call me Fubuki."

"Fubuki then. This is our room. It's the best in the Obelisk dorm."

"Wow!" Fubuki's eyes lit up and he immediately raced over to Ryo's bed that he had so carefully made up and claimed as his own and began to jump on it. "This is so nice! It's just like a hotel, only better! It's got a TV and a desk and whoa, is that a balcony? This place has everything! And this bed is so soft! I'll sleep good while I'm here." He kicked Ryo's bag to the side and flopped onto the bed, burying his head in the pillow. "Hey, it kind of smells like you."

"That's because I've been sleeping in it. That's kind of…my bed." He was truly speechless at this boy's antics. _This _was Tenjoin Fubuki, the elite duelist with the Red Eyes Black Dragon?! _And how did Fubuki already know what he smelled like?!_

"Oh. Okay, I'll just take this one." Nothing daunted, Fubuki hopped off and proceeded to jump on the other bed Ryo had so carefully made up. "So how do you like it here?"

"It's a very good school; I look forward to classes," Ryo replied.

"How's the food?"

"I haven't had any yet. I've been helping Samejima get everything ready, so I've just been eating whatever the faculty was having."

"How're the babes?"

"The what?"

"The girls!"

"Er…I don't know."

"You don't talk much, do you, Ryo?"

"Not as much as you do, apparently."

Fubuki's grin never left as he hopped off the bed and moved closer to Ryo. "That's okay. With those looks, you could pick up chicks without saying a word. I mean, look at all this blue hair!" He ruffled Ryo's hair so that his bangs fell over his eyes. Ryo fixed it and gave Fubuki an annoyed glare, which he ignored as he turned back to his bags.

"So tell me about yourself while I unpack. What do you like to do for fun? What's your family like? What's your favorite food?"

Ryo folded his arms and mumbled answers as he got a better look at his roommate. To say that Fubuki was nothing like Ryo had pictured him was an understatement. His long brown hair and Hawaiian shirt made him look more like a hippie than an elite duelist. He also noticed with dismay that Fubuki pulled what looked like a small guitar out of his bag and strummed it a bit while Ryo was talking. So he was one of those roommates who loved music. _Great._

"Hey, look at this." Fubuki shoved a framed photograph toward Ryo, beaming happily. "That's me on the left, and on the right is my little sister Asuka. She's only thirteen, but man, isn't she a looker?"

"Yes, she's very pretty," Ryo replied politely, setting the photo on top of the dresser he was leaning against. Fubuki moved to put his clothes inside, and grinned even wider upon opening the drawers.

"Check it out! They even gave us free clothes!" He held up Ryo's clean clothes and looked them over. "And they're just my size too."

"Actually, those are mine," Ryo corrected him.

"Oh! Sorry, guess I forgot that you'd already unpacked," Fubuki apologized as he stuffed Ryo's clothes (which were now wrinkled) back into the drawers. After adding his own clothes and stowing his bag in the closet, he turned back to Ryo and started bouncing again.

"So what do you wanna do first? Check out the campus? Get a bite to eat? Maybe have a friendly duel? Or we could go to the beach! I brought my surfboard."

Ryo didn't answer. Instead he just stared at Fubuki as if the boy could read his mind and tell him why he wasn't the serious student Ryo had expected but was instead a very hyperactive boy who apparently did not quite grasp the concept of personal space.

Fubuki continued. "Man, we are gonna have so much fun! We can stay up late and watch movies and go on dates together. It'll be just like a sleepover, except it'll be every night! I'm so psyched!" He threw his arms around Ryo again, to which Ryo automatically tensed and tried to pull away. Fubuki didn't seem to notice. "This is gonna be the best school year of my life!"

How did one boy have so much enthusiasm? Ryo wondered, shrugging out of Fubuki's arms. Didn't he know that school was for work and not fun? Then he remembered Fubuki's earlier words and his stomach did a flip-flop. "Fubuki…"

"Yeah?"

"What did you mean, go on dates together?" Ryo asked cautiously.

Fubuki moved away from him and cocked his head to the side curiously. "I meant that when you and I get girlfriends, we could go on double dates together."

"Oh." Ryo instantly relaxed. Fubuki grinned again, but something was different this time.

"Why, Ryo? What did you think I meant?"

**Most people who ship these two tend to think that they immediately became best friends right away (or at least that's how it seems to me). I don't buy that, I think it would have taken time for Ryo to open up and let someone in. PLEASE REVIEW!**


	3. Troublesome Tenjoin

**One review and one follow...slowly making progress. I guess these two aren't very popular. XP**_  
_

_"The course of true love never did run smooth."_

-William Shakespeare

"It's official. I LOVE this place!" Fubuki sang gleefully, turning cartwheels on the green lawn outside the Obelisk dorm. "The beach is great, the babes are hot, our pad is sweet, and the food is fantastic!"

"Yes, it's way better than most school cafeterias," Ryo agreed, trying to sound good-natured.

"Are you kidding? We get a whole dining hall! I heard the other two dorms can only eat the one thing the kitchen staff feels like making. We get a whole big buffet every night! Let's just hope I don't get fat while I'm here."

"You won't. Each student is only allowed two helpings. And dinner is only served from seven to eight every night. Then curfew is at nine, and lights out is at eleven."

"Blah, blah, blah. Rules were made to be broken, Ryo," Fubuki retorted, smiling up at the sun. "So tell me, what are you most excited about?"

"The quality education and the dueling competition."

"That's all?"

"No. The campus is nice too, as well as the Obelisk dorm."

"Have you seen the Osiris and Ra dorms?"

"No. Why would I?"

"They're not nearly as bad as everyone thinks. I thought Ra was actually kinda nice. And Osiris wasn't terrible."

Ryo wrinkled his nose. "I heard there were cockroaches in that dorm, and the sheets aren't even clean."

"That's true. But it is cozy. And I've always had a thing for bunk beds." He frowned and adjusted the collar on his new white uniform. "Though as much as I love this school, I have to say I don't really care for their uniforms. These are so hot and boring. Our school is supposed to be colorful, so why do the good students have to wear boring white while the other kids get to look cool?"

Ryo shrugged. "I was wondering why the girls' uniforms are so…revealing."

"And the guy uniforms completely cover as much of their skin as possible," Fubuki agreed. "Do you think Samejima has a thing for hot girls and hates guys?"

"Actually, I heard Chronos chose the uniforms. Samejima just approved of them."

"And what fine uniforms they are!" a familiar screechy accent bellowed. Chronos was suddenly in front of them, seemingly from out of nowhere.

"Yes sir," Ryo said quickly. Fubuki jumped.

"Sir?! You mean that thing's a dude?"

"Excuse me?!"

"Come on, what guy has a ponytail and dresses like that? And coming from me, that's saying something."

"How dare you! You better watch your mouth, young man, or you'll get your wish and receive a different uniform! Do you understand?"

"Yeah…but who exactly are you again?" Fubuki asked. Ryo groaned.

"I am Chronos de Medici, a professor at this academy and the head of your dorm. So if I were you I'd show a little bit more respect!"

"Are you head of the Obelisk girls' dorm too, or just the boys' dorm?"

Chronos raised an eyebrow. "Just the boys' dorm. Ayukawa-sensei is head of the girls' dorm. Why?"

"So you really are a guy? Seriously?"

Chronos's face turned a deep shade of purple and a vein pulsed at the side of his neck. "That's enough out of you, Tenjoin! One more comment like that and you'll be sent to your room without supper!"

"Wait, are you a transvestite?"

"Fubuki, shut up!" Ryo hissed. His instincts had been right. This boy was bad news.

"Marufuji is wise. You should try listening to him," Chronos growled. "Now get back to your room, both of you. And I expect you to demonstrate proper behavior when you attend my class on Monday. Do I make myself clear?"

"I just have one more question."

"GO!" Chronos pointed a very long finger toward their dorm. Ryo seized Fubuki's arm and yanked him in that direction, fuming. He'd never gotten in trouble with a teacher before and being punished after just attaining honor status, especially when he himself hadn't even done anything, was humiliating.

Fubuki snapped his fingers. "I just figured it out. If Chronos really is a guy and he's not a transvestite, then he must be a closet gay. And he's trying to attract other guys by passing off as a woman."

Ryo rolled his eyes.

"I can't believe he wouldn't even let me ask my question," Fubuki muttered, running to keep up with Ryo.

"Why don't you shut up," Ryo growled. Why, out of all the students in Obelisk Blue, did this one have to be the second honor student? How on earth was it possible that a boy who caused problems the first day he arrived, before classes even started, could have that kind of skill and intelligence?

Fubuki blinked in surprise. "All I wanted to ask him was why your uniform has coattails and mine doesn't."

"It doesn't matter."

"But coattails are awesome! They're so much fun to play with!" he reached down and tried to grab Ryo's coattails. In doing so, his hands brushed against Ryo's butt and Ryo felt a twinge of anger he couldn't explain. He jerked away and walked on faster and farther away from his roommate.

"Hey, wait up!"

Ryo ignored him. He'd decided that was the best way to handle an annoying roommate.

***Begs* Review please? Specifics on what was good and what wasn't? Have I made Chronos too much of a villain?**


	4. School of Thought

**Sorry this one is short. I suck at transitions. I know what I want to happen, but getting there is hard. Plus I usually write one-shots so this is a little foreign for me.**

"_The art of love is largely the art of persistence_."

- Albert Ellis

"So how do you like it there?" Her voice floated through the cell phone and into Fubuki's ear, as though tempting him to return home. "Is it everything they said it would be?"

"And more!" Fubuki answered dreamily as he stared up at the endless blue sky. He was lying flat on his back in the soft sand on the beach, basking in the sun's rays and listening to the gentle roar of the waves that just barely reached his bare toes.

"What's your dorm look like?"

"For a dorm room, it's huge! It's almost as big as my room back home. It even has a balcony!"

"No way! Now I'm tempted to move to Duel Academy with you."

"You would love it, Mom. It's beautiful. It's got beaches and babes-"

"Babes?"

"I mean…lovely young ladies."

"I'm not going to have to give you the talk again, am I?"

"No thanks, I'm already a perfect gentlemen."

His mother laughed, sending a tinge of homesickness into his chest. "What about your roommate? Is he a gentleman too? I heard he's the best duelist in the school."

Fubuki grinned maliciously despite the fact that she couldn't see him. "I have a feeling he's going to become one of my projects."

"Oh, don't tell me. The intellectual strong and silent type that actually takes school seriously unlike my son?"

"Yup," Fubuki replied, ignoring the dig. "And kind of a goody-two-shoes. But man, is he hot! If he weren't such a priss about schoolwork and whatnot, he could have all the dates he wanted. He might even provide some competition."

"Bucky, just remember that not everyone has the same drive to be popular as you do and not everyone looks favorably on bisexuality."

"Mom, I know. Don't worry. If I play my cards right (literally and figuratively!), he'll be my best buddy. And my first project."

"Not too long ago, you decided to make Asuka your project too, and you know how that turned out."

Fubuki sighed. "I love you, Mom."

"Alright, I'll stop nagging. Let me know how it goes. That poor boy doesn't know what he's in for."

"I know," Fubuki giggled as he hung up. Ah, Ryo. Fubuki knew the type. Super anal about grades and following the rules, socially isolated and never knowing what they were missing. But Fubuki was Ryo's roommate, and thus he figured it was his mission to improve Ryo's life as much as he could.

He was going to make Ryo lighten up and have fun whether he wanted to or not.

**Yes, I have committed a taboo act among the GX fandom by actually giving these kids parents. I feel no shame whatsoever. Remember to leave a review on your way out, and please take the time to type carefully. While I greatly valued the ones that were left both on this story and on others, some of them I almost couldn't read because there were so many typos. :p And please feel free to look over my GX oneshots too!**


	5. ClassAnd Lack Thereof

__**Sorry about the late post, I had a lot to do today. **

_"Your friend is the man who knows all about you and still likes you." _

-Elbert Hubard

"You have tardy-phobia, don't you?" Fubuki asked, phrasing it as more of a statement than a question.

"Excuse me?"

"You're afraid of being late for stuff."

Ryo rolled his eyes for what felt like the hundredth time that day. "I'm not afraid of it. I just don't like it. It's disrespectful."

"I can understand that, but don't you think showing up for class twenty minutes early is a little extreme?" Fubuki pointed out as he sank further into his chair and set his feet on top of the desk.

"You didn't have to come with me, you know," Ryo reminded him, annoyed. Fubuki had been following him around for three days now. One would think that if somebody ignored you for three days and only spoke to you when asked a question (and even then very curtly), you would get the message they weren't interested. But apparently such things went right over Fubuki's head, because he was still as attached as ever.

"It's not like I have anything better to do right now," Fubuki replied. "Besides, if I didn't get here early I'd probably end up skipping altogether. That's why it's good for me to hang out with tardy-phobes."

"I told you, I'm not afraid of being late. I'm not afraid of anything."

"Ryo, class starts at nine and you started getting ready at six. The Obelisk welcome dinner started at seven and was right across the hall from us, and you started getting ready at four. That goes beyond respectful, that's just paranoia."

"Is there something wrong with wanting to make a good impression and be on time for things?" Ryo asked, angry that Fubuki exaggerated his actions. He knew perfectly well that he'd started getting ready for that dinner at four fifteen, not four, thank you very much.

"No need to get defensive. My dad and my little sister are the same way, so I'm used to it even though I like to be fashionably late."

"Get your feet off the desk, Tenjoin!" Chronos's voice boomed from the door he was closing as he stepped into the room.

"Toldja we shoulda sat in the back," Fubuki grumbled as he adjusted his position.

"If you would like to sit in the back, you're more than welcome to do so," Ryo told him. Maybe that would get rid of him. Ryo felt like he hadn't had a moment's peace since meeting his new roommate. Even when he tried to sleep, Fubuki tossed, turned, mumbled, snored, and even sang in his sleep. He'd even followed him into the sanctity of the lighthouse (which then immediately lost its sanctity), and at that point Ryo was extremely tempted to lash out at him and tell him to go away. However, that would have been rude.

Fubuki narrowed his eyes. "Ya know, if I didn't know any better, I'd think you were trying to get rid of me." But then he smiled and clapped Ryo on the shoulder, causing him to flinch and draw back at the touch. "But that's just stupid. I know you wouldn't do that. You love having me around!"

Ryo glared down at his textbook, fighting the urge to slam his face into it. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Chronos looking at him with great pity in his expression. Thankfully the bell rang at that moment and he was distracted by the noisy kids filling the room, oohing and aahing over each others' cards and speculating on who would duel who.

"Alright everyone, sit down and shut up!" Chronos barked. "I am Chronos-sensei, and you are not. Which means when I am talking, you listen. Understand?"

"Sure thing, Croney!" Fubuki called out cheerfully.

"That includes you, Tenjoin! Show some respect!"

"Don't worry, I gotcha," Fubuki assured him. Chronos glared at him before turning back to the class. For the next few minutes he droned on and on about classroom procedures and how tests would be given weekly and they could all expect a two-hour workload each night. Ryo was scribbling everything he said furiously into a notebook when he felt something light and pointy hit his face. He glanced down and saw that it was a paper airplane, and it wasn't hard to guess where it had come from.

Fubuki leaned in close to him. "I'll make another one and then we'll both throw them at the same time. Let's see who gets closer to his face!" he whispered eagerly. Ryo balled up the paper airplane in his fist and shook his head. "Aw, come on!"

"Be quiet," Ryo hissed. Fubuki rolled his eyes and slumped in his seat, looking extremely bored. He was still for another minute or so, then he began to fidget and shift in his seat.

"And because I received my Ph.D in dueling, I obviously have more knowledge than you, so you're going to have to listen when I give you crucial information!" Chronos went on. "And that means-" He was instantly cut off by an extremely loud farting noise coming from the front row, followed by a fit of giggles.

Ryo's head jerked up. That noise had sounded suspiciously close. Was it-

"Tenjoin, do you really want a detention that badly?" Chronos barked at Fubuki, who was wearing the most innocent expression possible.

"What makes you so sure that came from me?" Fubuki asked, raising his eyebrows. Ryo glanced down. Sure enough, that pest was sitting on what appeared to be a whoopee cushion.

"Don't play dumb with me!"

"But sir, it's a bodily function," Fubuki fake-whimpered. "I can't help it. As a matter of fact, I'm very insecure about it." Giggles rose up all over the room until Chronos's glare silenced them. Ryo scooted as far away from Fubuki as possible, hoping he wouldn't be considered guilty by association again.

"I know a whoopee cushion when I hear one. Do you think I was born yesterday?"

"Ha! Believe me, no one would ever think that." Ryo flinched. Fubuki spent the remainder of the period in the hallway.

After what seemed like the longest class ever, Chronos grudgingly dismissed them and trudged back to his desk. Ryo made a beeline for the door, hoping to get to the next class before Fubuki and hopefully sit as far away from him as possible.

"Marufuji." Ryo cursed inwardly and turned around as the other students pushed past him. Chronos beckoned him closer with one long finger. Ryo reluctantly approached him and looked him in the eye. "Yes sir?" he asked in his most respectful tone.

"I would strongly advise you to find some different friends, Marufuji. That boy will get you into a lot of trouble, you understand?"

Ryo nodded. "Yes sir. But you needn't worry. Fubuki and I aren't friends."

The tiniest hint of a smile crossed the teacher's face. "Make sure it stays that way."

"Yes sir." Ryo promised and left the room.

**Slowly losing faith in this story...meh. Feedback please! **


	6. Getting To Know Your Roommate

_"Sometimes it's a form of love just to talk to somebody that you have nothing in common with and still be fascinated by their presence."_

_-David Byrne_

"What are you doing up here? Aren't you hungry? The dinner hour's almost up." Fubuki said as he shut the door to their room. He'd returned to the dorm to grab a comb and fix up his hair, and had found Ryo bent over some notes at his desk.

"I usually just grab a few rolls and eat them up here," Ryo mumbled. "I don't eat much."

The very statement nearly shattered Fubuki's heart. How could anyone not eat much? It was practically a crime. "Don't you at least want to hang out in the dining hall? Everybody's down there."

"That's alright, you go ahead." Ryo still hadn't looked up from his notebook.

"Is something bothering you or are you really like this all the time?" Fubuki asked bluntly, sitting on the bed and flipping his thick mane of hair.

"Like what?" Ryo snapped. _Please tell me he's finally taken the hint._

"You haven't said a word to anybody since the first day. You've spent most of your time here, the lighthouse, or in the library. At first I thought maybe you were just shy and a little homesick, but it hasn't changed."

Ryo shrugged. "I apologize if my personality doesn't suit your needs."

Fubuki smiled. "You've got a sarcastic side. I like that. Reminds me of my sister. She and my mom are really the only people I'm homesick for. I mean, I love my dad and he's a great guy, but he has to travel all the time, so I just kinda got used to him not being around. What about you? You miss your family?"

_It's amazing how open he is_, Ryo thought. _He tells me everything and doesn't hold anything back_. Of course, that also meant he probably wasn't very good at keeping secrets. "Not really," Ryo admitted. "I've been away from home plenty of times."

"Really? You go to duel camp or something?"

Ryo nodded. "My brother and I went."

"I saw a picture of him in your suitcase. He looks so small I can't believe he's actually thirteen! You must miss the little guy."

"Not really," Ryo said before he could stop himself.

Fubuki stopped and turned to face Ryo, his eyes wide. "You really don't miss him at all?"

"We were never that close," Ryo replied, closing his notebook. By now he'd given up on getting work done.

"Why not?" Fubuki asked. Ryo didn't answer and Fubuki quickly decided not to press the matter further. Instead he moved closer to Ryo and put a hand on his shoulder, ignoring the automatic tension that followed his touch. "Seriously, you should think about interacting with people a little bit more. A lot of the kids here are really cool. You don't have to stay locked up in here by yourself all the time."

"Why does it matter to you?" Ryo asked.

Fubuki leaned in closer and Ryo instinctively leaned back. "Because I care about you," he replied.

"Why?" Ryo asked, cautious. They'd just met. Why would anyone care about someone they just met? Then again, Fubuki seemed like the type to care about everybody. He certainly was nosy enough.

"Why shouldn't I?" Fubuki shrugged. "Just because I haven't known you that long doesn't mean I shouldn't care. You are my roomie, after all. We have to look out for each other."

"I don't need anyone to look after me. I can take care of myself," Ryo said curtly, though not harshly.

Fubuki smiled slyly. "You're one of those people."

"One of what people?"

Fubuki stood and struck a dramatic pose. "You've been so lonely all your life that it's caused you to build up a wall of ice inside your heart that is seemingly unbreakable and present a cruel façade to all those around you. Night after night, you lie awake in subconscious agony begging the heavens to send someone who will break that wall and see through that facade and melt your icy heart with the warmth of their love."

"Yes Fubuki, that's exactly what I'm thinking every night. You hit the nail on the head."

"I knew it!" Fubuki pumped his fist in the air, apparently having missed the sarcasm laced into Ryo's tone. "And I shall find a way!"

Ryo leaned on the desk and rested his chin in his palm, growing bored. "Is this your overly and quite frankly unnecessarily dramatic method of telling me you're going to attempt to find me a girlfriend?"

"Quick on the uptake. I like it. Or I could find you a boyfriend. Whichever you prefer."

"I don't want either, but I'd prefer a girlfriend," Ryo said quickly, shuddering ever so slightly at the boyfriend comment.

"Coming right up!" Fubuki cheered, heading for the door.

"Fubuki." Said boy turned around.

"Come take a walk with me. Socialize. Talk to people."

It didn't take a genius to figure out Fubuki's plan. "What poor girl were you thinking of setting me up with if I refused?"

"I'll never tell…but you might still find out." Fubuki grinned mischievously, a sight Ryo was quickly becoming used to.

"Let's go,' Ryo said abruptly, following him and trying very hard to ignore Fubuki's warm arm across his shoulders. He would not let Fubuki get too close. He would follow Chronos's instructions and would absolutely NOT become his friend.

**I'm guessing no one's interested in this...it feels too formulaic to me. But I promise the pace will pick up very quickly once I get around to writing the rest. Sadly updates will be slow for a while now. Every time I think I'm done with all my responsibilities, I get ten more things added to my list. Though I get the feeling hardly anyone is reading this so that shouldn't bother too many people. :p**


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